NEW YORK — Jason Wu is joining the ranks of designers who moonlight on the side.
Tse has tapped Wu to create a limited edition collection for fall 2010. The capsule assortment will be unveiled to press and buyers during New York Fashion Week in February, and consists of about 15 looks for women.
For Wu, the collaboration is an extension of an existing partnership. Tse has been producing his knitwear for the past two seasons, and the designer worked closely with Christina Peng-Gerschultz, who was promoted to Tse’s chief executive officer in September.
“When she asked me if I wanted to do a capsule [line], I thought, ‘This could be interesting,’” Wu said. “In many ways, I am probably the least expected designer to do this, because Tse’s aesthetic is so different from my own, but that’s one reason I wanted to do it.”
At Tse, Wu hopes to create both woven and knitwear pieces, and often combine them into one look. He also aims to bring color and print to the label, which is best known for its cashmere basics.
Tse has had a slew of designers walk through its doors over the years, among them Tess Giberson, Narciso Rodriguez, Victor Alfaro, Hussein Chalayan and Richard Chai. Unlike them, Wu will not be the head designer and was only tapped to do this one collection, though Peng-Gerschultz said she would like it to evolve into an ongoing collaboration.
“Jason’s complete understanding of this timeless luxury and craftsmanship, which is in the Tse DNA, rendered him the perfect partner,” she said.
Peng-Gerschultz said price points are still being determined for the capsule. The collection will launch at retail next July and be sold through Tse boutiques, tsecashmere.com and select stores that carry the brand worldwide.